Esther Klotz collection on Miné Okubo
Finding aid prepared by Eric Milenkiewicz, Archives Assistant.
Special Collections & University Archives
The UCR Library
P.O. Box 5900
University of California
Riverside, California 92517-5900
Phone: 951-827-3233
Fax: 951-827-4673
Email: specialcollections@ucr.edu
URL: http://library.ucr.edu/libraries/special-collections-university-archives
© 2010
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Esther Klotz collection on Miné Okubo
Date (inclusive): 1932-2009, undated
Date (bulk): 1970-1979
Collection Number: MS 094
Creator:
Klotz, Esther
Extent:
0.44 linear feet
(1 box, 1 flat file folder)
Repository:
Rivera Library. Special Collections Department.
Abstract: This collection is comprised of press clippings, correspondence, artwork, brochures, and other material regarding the personal
and professional life of Miné Okubo, a Japanese American artist and author. Includes material on Okubo's book
Citizen 13660 and the art exhibit
Miné Okubo: An American Experience. Mailings from Okubo to personal contacts that contain correspondence, artwork, exhibit brochures, and original envelopes
are also included. Additionally, there is material on Japanese American life in the United States that focuses on the World
War II internment of Japanese Americans, Miné Okubo's experiences at war relocation camps during World War II, and the history
of Japanese Americans in Riverside, California.
Languages: The collection is in English.
Access
This collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright Unknown: Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction,
and/or commercial use, of some materials may be restricted by gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and
publicity rights, licensing agreement(s), and/or trademark rights. Distribution or reproduction of materials protected by
copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. To the extent other restrictions
apply, permission for distribution or reproduction from the applicable rights holder is also required. Responsibility for
obtaining permissions, and for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], [date if possible]. Esther Klotz collection on Miné Okubo (MS 094). Special Collections & University
Archives, University of California, Riverside.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Esther Klotz, 1974.
Processing History
Processed by Eric Milenkiewicz, Archives Assistant, 2010.
Biographical Note
Miné Okubo was born on June 27, 1912 in Riverside, California. Okubo attended Riverside Junior College and went on to receive
both a bachelor's and master's degree in Fine Arts from the University of California, Berkeley. In 1938, Okubo was awarded
the Bertha Henicke Taussig Traveling Fellowship to study art in Europe for eighteen months. At the conclusion of her fellowship
Okubo returned to the United States and accepted a job as an artist through the federal Works Progress Administration in Northern
California. The bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on December 7, 1941 would forever change the course of Okubo's life.
On April 24, 1942 she was forced into a Japanese internment camp and had to relocate to the Tanforan Relocation Camp in San
Bruno, California and was later transferred to the Central Utah Relocation Camp in Topaz, Utah. While being held at the relocation
camp Okubo completed numerous pen and ink drawings that illustrated daily life for the camp's detainees. She would later publish
this collection of drawings and sketches in the acclaimed book
Citizen 13660 that gave the world insight into the treatment of the Japanese at these camps. Okubo eventually moved to New York, New York
and continued her career as an artist creating numerous artistic works throughout her career that included illustrations for
several publications such as
Fortune,
Time, and
Life. She also served as an active voice of the Japanese American community and even testified before the Congressional Commission
on Wartime Relocation in 1981. Miné Okubo died on February 10, 2001 at the age of 88 in Greenwich Village in New York City.
| 1912 |
Miné Okubo was born in Riverside, California on June 12th. |
| 1935 |
Okubo graduated from UC Berkeley with a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts. |
| 1936 |
Okubo graduated from UC Berkeley with a master's degree in Fine Arts. |
| 1939-1941 |
Okubo was commissioned by the Federal Arts Program as an artist on public art projects. |
| 1942 |
Okubo was forced to evacuate under Executive Order #9066 as a result of the bombing of Pearl Harbor in World War II. |
| 1946 |
Okubo's
Citizen #13660 was published by Columbia University Press.
|
| 1950-1952 |
Okubo taught art at University of California, Berkeley. |
| 1974 |
Okubo was named Alumna of the Year at Riverside Community College. |
| |
An exhibition of Okubo's paintings was held at Riverside Community College. |
| 1991 |
Okubo received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Women's Caucus for Art of the College Art Association. |
| 2001 |
Miné Okubo died in New York, New York on February 10th. |
Collection Scope and Contents
This collection is comprised of press clippings, correspondence, artwork, brochures, and other material regarding the personal
and professional life of Miné Okubo, a Japanese American artist and author. Includes material on Okubo's book
Citizen 13660 and the art exhibit
Miné Okubo: An American Experience. Mailings from Okubo to personal contacts that contain correspondence, artwork, exhibit brochures, and original envelopes
are also included. Additionally, there is material on Japanese American life in the United States that focuses on the World
War II internment of Japanese Americans, Miné Okubo's experiences at war relocation camps during World War II, and the history
of Japanese Americans in Riverside, California.
Collection Arrangement
This collection is arranged into three series as follows:
- Series 1. Japanese-American life, 1943-1979, undated
- Series 2. Personal correspondence, 1941-1977, undated
- Series 3. Professional career, 1932-2009, undated
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
library's online public access catalog.
Subjects
Okubo, Miné
Japanese American artists
Japanese Americans -- Exclusion and incarceration, 1942-1945
Genres and Forms of Materials
Clippings (information artifacts)
Correspondence
Works of art
Series 1. Japanese-American life
1943-1979, undated
Series Scope and Contents
This series contains press clippings, publications, and other material regarding Japanese American life in the United States.
Topics include the World War II internment of Japanese Americans, Miné Okubo's experiences at war relocation camps during
World War II, and the history of Japanese Americans in Riverside, California.
Series Arrangement
This series is arranged sequentially according to box and folder number.
Box 1, Folder 1
Press clippings, publications, and other material regarding Japanese American life in the United States (includes photocopies).
1943-1978, undated.
Box 1, Folder 2
Thesis titled
Miné Okubo, Artist by Edna Ikeda from the University of California, Riverside (photocopy).
1979.
Series 2. Personal correspondence
1941-1977, undated
Series Scope and Contents
This series contains correspondence, artwork, and other material sent from Miné Okubo to Clifford Wurfel and Esther and Leo
Klotz. Includes material that was mailed with the original correspondence such as artwork and sketches by Okubo and brochures
for art exhibits. The original mailing envelopes are also included.
Series Arrangement
This series is arranged sequentially according to box and folder number.
Box 1, Folder 3
Correspondence, artwork, and other material sent from Miné Okubo to Clifford Wurfel.
1976-1977.
Box 1, Folder 4
Correspondence, artwork, and other material sent from Miné Okubo to Esther and Leo Klotz.
1941-1977, undated.
Series 3. Professional career
1932-2009, undated
Series Scope and Contents
This series contains press clippings, artwork, and other material regarding Miné Okubo's professional career as an artist.
Includes material related to Okubo's book
Citizen 13660, the
Miné Okubo: An American Experience art exhibit, and other aspects of her career. Original artwork by Miné Okubo is also included.
Series Arrangement
This series is arranged sequentially according to box and folder number.
Box 1, Folder 5
Artwork by Miné Okubo.
1976, undated.
Box 1, Folder 6
Exhibit catalog and press clippings regarding the
Miné Okubo: An American Experienceexhibit (includes photocopies).
1972, undated.
Box 1, Folder 7
Press clippings, brochures, and other material regarding Miné Okubo's book
Citizen 13660 (includes photocopies).
1946-1974, undated.
Box 1, Folder 8
Press clippings, brochures, and other material regarding Miné Okubo's involvement with Riverside City College in Riverside,
California (includes photocopies).
1932-1974.
Box 1, Folder 9
Press clippings regarding Miné Okubo and her career as an artist (includes photocopies).
1968-2009, undated.
Flat-File-Folder 1
Artwork (oversize) by Miné Okubo.
1948-1966, undated.
